Fire and Mist
by Watashi no Kakumei
Summary: Something horrible has happened, making Lina wish to kill herself. Then Zelgadiss comes along... (mild Zel/Lina) A Zel/Lina story I'm told is very cute.


Fire and Mist  
  
By Izzy-the-Warrioress  
  
The ravine was deep, dark, and spoke of oblivion. Nothing lived down there; nothing ever came up out of it. One could only go down. Down into the mist. Down into death. How deep did it go? Down into Hades? As she stepped towards the great hole in the earth, she could hear her footsteps echo. She kicked a rock down, unwittingly; she did not hear it hit the bottom. The rock had fallen into hell.  
Her life, too, had fallen into hell. The wind blew; Lina brushed a lock of once-fiery hair out of her face; in the clouded, sunless light, it too looked as if it were dead. She stared down numbly; death lay below. If she closed her eyes and resisted her natural instincts, she would not cast Raywing, and she would fall. She would follow the rock, and she would lose her life. Good. She didn't want it. They had all gone.  
Amelia had gone. She had been the first. She had business to do in Seyruun, she'd claimed, and disappeared from her life. That in itself was all right; Amelia had left a hole in her life, but Lina dealt with it. She'd still had Zelgadiss and Gourry to care for her, and she still had Zelgadiss and Gourry to care for. Amelia hadn't communicated for years now, and there was a rumor of an assassination of a traveling Seyruun princess. As far as Lina knew, the spunky, justice-loving stage-stealer had left this world.  
Zelgadiss had gone. He had been the second. He'd gone off after another wild goose: a jewel that was supposed to cure anything. She didn't think it would work, but she hadn't stopped him: She still had Gourry to care for her, and she had Gourry to care for. She just hoped Zelgadiss wasn't dead. She had not heard from him, either; either he was dead, or he had forgotten her. Knowing Zelgadiss, he'd probably done himself in, once he'd become depressed enough.  
Then, last of all, Gourry had left her. He had been the third. He hadn't wanted to leave, and had done everything he could to stay. Lina had tried to keep him. But, thanks to a piece of Shabranigdou, he had left. There was nothing he could do about it. There's not much one can do from the grave. She could still remember the jellyfish's dying words. "I love you, Lina." Tragically romantic, but it did neither of them any good.  
There was only one left; herself. There was only one thing left for that person to do, and that was to die. Perhaps she would find Gourry there. And Zelgadiss. And Amelia. She wouldn't be lonely. All she had to do was step forward. She took a step.  
Since when was my life so centered around my friends? Lina asked herself. All their happy faces-- that had become her one joy. Now they were gone. Lina heard someone coming towards her from the side, running at an amazing speed. She had to do this now, or she would be stopped. Depending on who it was, she might be shut up in a mental institution. Then she would never get a chance. She closed her eyes, and...  
She jumped. "Lina!" A strong arm grabbed her waist, pulling her back.  
"What do you think you're doing?!" Lina exclaimed. She struggled in the grasp. "It's my life, it's my right to take it! Get off your hand off of me!" The man didn't move. "I said get OFF! Watch where you're grabbing! FIREBALL!"  
There was an explosion; she could feel the heat of it. The man let go in surprise, and she jumped. She closed her eyes and fell into the mists of Hell.  
"RAYWING!" The man was alive, and he knew magic. She felt herself scooped out of the air as if she were a falling baby sparrow.  
"Dammit, don't you know when to give up?!" Lina struggled against the unmoving arms, and looked into the eyes of her captor. Big mistake. "Zel..." she whispered.  
Zelgadiss' eyes were filled with worry, sadness, and a tinge of-- what? "Zel, what're you doing here?" Lina asked as her feet landed on the semi-safe ground.  
"Never mind that," Zelgadiss scolded. "What were you doing jumping off like that?!"  
"Zelgadiss... you're alive..." Lina mumbled. Her ruby eyes didn't leave his.  
"Apparently," Zelgadiss said, pulling on her wrist. "Now come on, let's find a place to camp. It's getting dark."  
Lina looked down at his slightly-blackened body. It was covered in ash, not burned. "Uh, Zel, you're--"  
Zelgadiss blushed. "Yes, I know. Come on, let's find somewhere sheltered from the wind."  
  
All the clues had led to this place. The jewel, emerald and glistening, was in the canyon. All Zelgadiss had to do was Raywing down to the bottom. If that canyon has a bottom. The wind blew his beige cape to his side.  
Then he saw Lina. Red hair, blowing in the wind; she brushed a piece out of her face. She was just standing there, looking down into the depths. What are you doing? Lina, I haven't seen you for so long... are you after the jewel as well?  
He contemplated running over to say hi, but decided against it. She might not be too happy to see him, if he was competition for the jewel. But... what was that look on her face? Was that-- No!  
Lina took a step closer. She had to be stopped. He couldn't let this happen to her. In a flash...  
She closed her eyes, and prepared to jump. "Lina!" he exclaimed, grabbing her around the waist. He pulled her back from the edge. Don't do it, Lina. Since when were you so... vulnerable?  
"What do you think you're doing?!" Lina said. She struggled in his grasp. "It's my life, it's my right to take it! Get off your hand off of me!" Lina continued ranting at him. He didn't move. He couldn't let her do this. She had so much to live for, whereas, he... "FIREBALL!"  
Flame burst around him; Zelgadiss let go in surprise. But it was only fire. His clothes burned away, but once he had recovered from the shock-- he was fine. Lina wasn't. She plummeted towards her doom. "RAYWING!" He scooped the falling girl out of the mist; her eyes fluttered open.  
"Dammit, don't you know when to give up?!" Lina struggled against Zelgadiss. No, I Won't let you go. I won't let you die. Then she looked up into his eyes. "Zel..." she whispered. She halted in her efforts to get away. It was as if she were recognizing him for the first time. He held her tight. It was Lina, against his rock skin. The two rose up from the ravine, out of the depths of Hades. He set her on the ground. He stared at her for a moment, and she stared back.  
"Zel, what're you doing here?" Lina asked him. She sounded almost like a scared child.  
"Never mind that. What were you doing jumping off like that?!" he scolded in this emotional state of unrest. He regretted it.  
"Zelgadiss... you're alive..." Lina mumbled.  
"Apparently," Zelgadiss snorted. He pulled her wrist viciously forward. "Now come on, let's find a place to camp. It's getting dark."  
"Uh, Zel, you're--"  
Zelgadiss hoped he wasn't blushing. "Yes, I know. Come on, let's find somewhere sheltered from the wind." He looked around for something to cover himself with. Dammit, I knew I should have kept that fireproof underwear...  
  
Lina looked into the flames of the campfire. Fire. It's used by so many religions and cultures to symbolize life. Rebirth and cleansing. Hope. Lust, too... It's such a powerful symbol...  
Power? She blushed as she looked over at Zelgadiss, who was watching the flame lick the fish. He held a blanket around himself, and Lina's cape covered him somewhat. She could still see a lot more than usual, and imagine the rest of it. (She had seen it a few hours ago, after all. It wasn't something she would soon forget.) He rescued me. He's so powerful... just like I am. He shouldn't worry so much about his cure. I think.. I like him just how he is. Lina hoped Zel thought the redness in her face was from the fire. She looked back into the flames.  
  
He could see her looking over at him. I wish she wouldn't... this is so embarrassing. I knew I should have bought some fireproof clothing. Zelgadiss blushed. He watched the fish cook. She's so weak... What's changed her? But I'm just so glad to see her again... He remembered feeling her skin against his, her fiery red hair covering them. Zelgadiss blushed deeper, and hoped Lina thought the redness in his face was from the fire. Good thing I have this blanket to cover me... He watched Lina through the fire; she sat alert, then her eyes drooped, and then she slowly fell to sleep without dinner. The moon was high in the sky.  
  
Lina awoke freezing cold. Zelgadiss was still awake, but he had let the fire go out; I guess he doesn't need it. Well, I do! Grumpy and sleepy, she crawled over to sit next to warm Zelgadiss. She felt her eyes droop, and she yawned. She half-noticed that the fish lay near the charcoal, untouched, and ready for Lina and Zel to share in the morning. She smiled. Tomorrow was another day.  
  
"Uh-- Lina, what are you doing?" Zelgadiss asked before Lina fell asleep.  
"You have my cape anyway," Lina grumbled. A moment later, she was asleep. Zelgadiss smiled. This is nice... Soon he, too, slept.  
The moon passed through the sky, accompanied by stars of all kinds. Zelgadiss dreamed of the tall sorceress with an annoying laugh... the one who was discovered to be a Seyruun princess, and had turned up dead. "Maybe we'll discuss that in the morning," Zelgadiss' sleeping self thought. He soon forgot it, as the dreams changed to images of himself and Lina. Dreams of death to dreams of life. Mist to fire, fire and mist.  
  
THE END ^_~ 


End file.
